1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a contact arrangement for use with a pressurized-gas (gas blast) circuit breaker wherein the arrangement includes a nozzle-shaped arc electrode into whose interior runs an arc in the course of the interrupting action of the circuit breaker.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that the interrupting capacity of a high voltage circuit breaker and, in particular, a pressurized-gas circuit breaker can be enhanced by employing a magnetic force component acting on the arc to amplify the effect of the pressurized-gas stream blasting the arc. To accomplish this, a loop is formed which carries the arc current and brings about a magnetic driving force which lengthens the arc. A contact arrangement providing such a magnetic force component is disclosed, for example, in German Pat. No. 2,212,617. In the arrangement of the aforesaid patent, two coaxial nozzle tubes are arranged at a fixed distance from each other. Each of these nozzle tubes is provided with a slot running parallel to the axis of the tube and each has a U-shaped cross section between its interior and exterior surfaces at its respective end face.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a contact arrangement of the above type having an increased magnetic force for lengthening the current path of the arc, and thereby increasing the interrupting capacity of the high-voltage power circuit employing the arrangement.